The basis for the major motion picture of the same name. An entrancing memoir of how one womans journey of selfdiscovery gave her the courage to persevere in recreating her life. Life is a work in progress as everchanging as a sandy shoreline along the beach. During the years Joan Anderson was a loving wife and supportive mother she had slowly and unconsciously replaced her own dreams with the needs of her family. With her sons grown however she realized that the family no longer centered on the home she provided and her relationship with her husband had become stagnant. Like many women in her situation Joan realized that she had neglected to nurture herself and worse to envision fulfilling goals for her future. As her husband received a wonderful job opportunity outofstate it seemed that the best part of her own life was finished. Shocking both of them she refused to follow him to his new job and decided to retreat to a family cottage on Cape Cod. At first casting about for direction Joan soon began to take pleasure in her surroundings and call on resources she didnt realize she had. Over the course of a year she gradually discovered that her life as an unfinished woman was full of possibilities. Out of that magical difficult transformative year came A Year by the Sea a record of her experiences and a treasury of wisdom for readers. show more